English Toolbox Tips

Why You Should Not Teach English Overseas

2009-07-04T20:16:00.002+01:00

A sneak preview of a work-in-progress. Sample paragraph:

You have a very strong attachment to family and friends. Let’s face it: working overseas means you are going to be away from the people you love the most for extended periods of time. You can telephone, exchange e-mails, and even use webcams and microphones on your computer to keep in touch; still, you won’t be sharing meals, movies or hugs with the people who are most important to you for a long, long time. You will be surrounded by strangers, only a few of whom you can even speak with in English. You are going to be homesick after the initial euphoria of the move wears off, and that condition will only increase as the months go by. You need to think long and hard before accepting a job overseas and decide whether or not you can cope with such a prolonged separation. If you can’t, you’re only going to be miserable every single day you’re there; moreover, you’ll probably quit the job and return home, leaving your students and employer in the lurch. Those with elderly or sick parents should also consider whether they might need suddenly to return home due to a medical emergency or death, and even whether they would arrive in time.

No Comment

2009-06-29T00:11:00.000+01:00

London -- Westminster Council spent more than £200,000 of taxpayers' money translating pamphlets into 10 different foreign languages last year.

Town Hall officers ensured documents were translated into Arabic, Bengali, Spanish, Portuguese, Kurdish, Albanian, Polish, Farsi, Somali and French - at a cost of £230,000 to the public purse.

The revelation comes despite a call in 2007 by Hazel Blears, then the communities secretary, for councils to think twice before translating documents. She said the money should be spent teaching immigrants English to aid immigration.

Full article here.

Newest Exercises in English Toolbox

2009-06-23T20:17:00.000+01:00

We've added a few new exercises recently. One is on the difference between "it" and "it's" (look up "Its vs It is" in the Exercise Name field on the Search page). Another is "Modals of Belief and Ability," while a third explains the differences between "according to," "in accordance with" and "accordingly." As always, the exercises are available in both MS Word and HTML formats.

Is EFL Now Needed in the Philippines?

2009-06-17T01:31:00.003+01:00

The Economist discusses the loss of English fluency in a former American colony:

Never mind the pupils, teachers have been flunking English for years. In 2004 only one in five teachers passed the English-proficiency test. The effect on pupils is plain to hear. Last year the country winced when the 17-year-old winner of the Miss Philippines World beauty contest failed spectacularly to answer in English the usual questions posed by judges in such events. Call-centres complain that they reject nine-tenths of otherwise qualified job applicants, mostly college graduates, because of their poor command of English.

English Dominance, Redux

2009-06-12T12:02:00.000+01:00

Foreign Policy Magazine offers an article charting the continued adoption of English as a global lingua franca (gee, shouldn't there be an English term to describe this?). Key quote:

[Soon] English will boast one million words -- twice as many as Cantonese, four times as many as Spanish, and 10 times as many as French. Half the world's people are projected to be speaking English by 2015.

Is Kazakhstan the New EFL Paradise?

2009-06-08T10:07:00.000+01:00

An article claims that the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan still offers lots of opportunities for EFL teachers. Excerpt:

Despite feeling the impact of the worldwide recession, the economy is still growing and with economic growth and international trade comes a demand for English.

Parents who cannot speak English often insist that their children learn it. Catering to meet this demand, there are several international schools located in Kazakhstan's main cities of Astana, Almaty and Atyrau. The most recent, and the first British public school in Central Asia, is Haileybury Almaty, an offshoot of the British independent school Haileybury.

Top 10 Downloads, Updated

2009-05-31T22:38:00.000+01:00

Last year at this time, we published our Top Ten Downloads for the past year. We continue this tradition with the list from last May through today, in descending order of popularity:

Logistics Vocabulary.htm
Business E-Mails.doc
Business Idioms 1.doc
Formality vs Informality in Correspondence.doc
Logistics Terms.doc
Presentations 1.doc
Telephoning 1.doc
Agreement, Tentative Agreement, Disagreement 1.doc
Asking Questions in Meetings.doc
Business Idioms 2.doc

There are a few interesting aspects to the list this year. For one, only a few of the items repeat from the previous year's list. For another, this is the first time that an HTML interactive computer exercise has been on the list, never mind at the #1 spot! Finally, it's clear that Business English continues to reign supreme.

Eliminate L1 Metalanguage in Classes?

2009-05-28T12:10:00.004+01:00

An interesting fictitious debate between two Japanese EFL teachers on the forthcoming requirement to teach all EFL classes in Japan entirely in English. Sample exchange:

Saito: OK, what about classroom management? I'm fine with the target language being demonstrated in English, but what about metalanguage, those explanations of language points, information about homework and projects, tests and grades, arranging an activity, warnings and comments about exceptions or irregular cases in English, common pitfalls, that sort of thing? And imagine you're giving instructions like this:

"Work with your partner. Choose words from the right side if you are the partner on the right, and from the left side if you are on the left, then fill in the blanks verbally, using the correct form of the verbs from the list. After you've finished this do it again but in reverse, but this time change the tense to the continuous form, so keep in mind you'll have the change the other parts of each sentence accordingly."

If I say all that in English, it will take about 20 minutes just to get the activity started and students will be frustrated and demotivated and probably with even less actual comprehension. It just doesn't make sense when the class management or instruction language is more complex than the target language points. So why not say it in Japanese in one or two minutes so that everyone understands what to do and can get right to work on the target language points? Then they'd be spending more time on the actual English task!

Jill Biden Now a TESOL Teacher

2009-05-19T10:52:00.000+01:00

The U.S. "Second Lady" is keeping herself busy:

After husband Joe became vice president, she took a job teaching English as a second language at Northern Virginia Community College.

No word yet on whether her Secret Service detail can explain the past perfect continuous... .

Subscriptions vs. Gift Packs

2009-05-12T19:59:00.001+01:00

Remember, you don't have to buy a subscription to get ten credits, and then cancel it immediately. Use our new Gift Packs instead. You get twelve exercise credits for a one-time charge: nothing to cancel, you'll never be billed again. Details can be found here.

The Black Hole of ESL Funding

2009-05-06T17:16:00.003+01:00

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard a case -- argued by Kenneth Starr, of Clinton impeachment fame -- in which Arizona is trying to stop paying for endless TESOL training for non-English-speaking students in their public schools. Article here; relevant quote here:

Their brief says the lower courts overstepped their power in telling Arizona it must specifically set aside funding for all its ELL program operational needs. "The lower courts’ approach will create perverse incentives to keep students languishing in special-language programs" since it’s based on the number of students in the programs, rather than those who become English-proficient.

And, if they lose and must earmark ELL funds? Bistrow says opponents suggest Arizona would need to spend $300 million more on ELLs: "This fight is more than an academic exercise. It’s about real money."

Tim Hogan, executive director of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest and a co-counsel for Flores, estimates the amount at closer to $200 million.

ET on italki

2009-04-24T09:48:00.002+01:00

Selected English Toolbox exercises are now available to members of italki.com, a leading ESL social networking site. The materials will include grammar worksheets as well as Business English exercises for negotiations, logistics, meetings, etc.

English "Pandemic" in Korea

2009-04-14T11:16:00.000+01:00

This guest editorial in the Korea Times is in a similar vein to our earlier post about unqualified teachers looking to work overseas. Sample quote:

It is the Korean parents' crazy obsession with English that drives up the cram school fees; it is their obsession that creates such trouble for the government's education branch to rationally allocate their already-strained budget; and, finally, it is their obsession that leads Korea to be looked-down-upon as a Plan B by those "native English speakers" who miserably fail in their own lives. The parents with such wrong attitudes are to be blamed for the pandemic.

ET & Business English Pod

2009-04-06T12:11:00.003+01:00

In addition to contributing our materials to various TEFL sites to aid their members/teachers, English Toolbox's staff have also written the script and supplementary materials for the latest Business English Pod podcast. It's called Telephoning: Handling Sales Calls. You can listen free on this page, or become a subscriber to their service to download both the podcast and the associated training worksheets.

We're Here to Help!

2009-04-03T12:36:00.000+01:00

If you have questions concerning our site, how to subscribe, how to navigate the site, etc., don't give up in frustration: simply write us at help@englishtoolbox.com. We strive to answer most questions immediately, or within a few hours at the latest.

Newest Exercises Added

2009-03-30T15:33:00.001+01:00

We've been busy adding new exercises to our database, which already has more than 1,000 exercises, worksheets, lesson plans and audio files. The most recent half-dozen uploads are:

* Office Equipment Crossword Puzzle
* Modals of Belief and Ability
* Family Vocabulary
* According to In Accordance with Accordingly
* Phrasal Verbs in Sentences
* Logistics Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous

You can search for these using the "Exercise Name" field on our Search page.

Competition Getting Fiercer for TEFL Jobs

2009-03-25T11:54:00.002Z

In a press release, er, article about companies recruiting teachers for overseas teaching jobs, CNN reports that the number of applicants is way up due to the poor economy and employment prospects at home. Example:

Japan's JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program also has recorded a jump in applicants. For 2009 positions, the Japanese government-sponsored program has received 15 percent more U.S. applications than last year... .

Trying Not to Speak English Abroad

2009-03-19T13:12:00.003Z

Here's an article that discusses a scenario that will be familiar to any EFL teacher who is attempting to speak the native language in countries where the natives want to practice their English, making it difficult for the foreigner to learn a new tongue. Sample paragraph:

On the street, it comes down to this: An Egyptian man who knows 10 words of English will often, literally, use them over and over in conversation, even if you both are speaking in Arabic and it's clear you understand. For example, while speaking Arabic, when he comes to a place where the word "good" could be used, and he knows that word in English, he'll insert it.

Failed at Everything Else? Become an English Teacher!

2009-03-12T15:37:00.001Z

With the world economy in a major downturn, there seems to be this impression that those who have lost their jobs or cannot find a job can simply "become an English teacher" overseas. Sites such as this and this blithely suggest that any native speaker can teach English without any teacher training whatsoever. Now, of course, some schools in Thailand, Korea and other countries apparently believe that a child can learn English simply by standing next to a native speaker for a few hours per day, and so the unqualified and inept will never lack for work in these locales. But you never see sites saying, "Fix people's plumbing--no experience necessary!" Yet every day, people are encouraged to subject a foreigner to their ignorance and inexperience, and make them pay for the privilege! It's no wonder the profession is held in such low esteem in many countries, and that training and professionalism are considered luxuries.

Tough EFL Market in Hungary

2009-03-01T00:46:00.000Z

English teachers in Budapest report that the job market is contracting quite severely:

A Hungarian owner of an established English-language teaching school, speaking on condition of anonymity, was more dramatic in her assessment of the state of play for teachers in Budapest: "This is the worst time for new students since our first year in business over ten years ago. January is generally the best time for getting new students, but people seem to be less interested than ever before."

How are things in your country of residence? Are you noticing the same kind of contraction? Send us your reports, and any that are particularly interesting will be printed in this space in the weeks to come.

Happy Birthday to Us!

2009-02-17T01:01:00.000Z

English Toolbox is two years old today, and we're giving all of you a chance to share in the celebration. Just send an e-mail to info@englishtoolbox.com and write "Happy Birthday" in the subject line, and we'll give you five free credits! Current subscribers can get the credits added to their accounts. This promotion expires on 28 February, so don't delay (it sure beats birthday cake!).

"Two Lovers" Trailer

2009-02-13T11:11:00.002Z

Please forgive this non-EFL post, but this film was co-written by one of my best friends for over 25 years. I hope you'll all go see it!

More E-Mail Exercises Added

2009-02-05T15:23:00.003Z

Due to increasing demand from our customers, we are adding more exercises on e-mailing to our library. They range from formal vs. informal phrases to complete lesson plans. To see our selection, go to our Search page and enter "e-mail" in the Exercise Name field (include the hyphen, or you won't get any results). More will be added in the weeks ahead, so check back regularly!

Koreans Teach ESL in Cali to Mexicans

2009-01-29T17:26:00.002Z

Temporarily, as part of a training program that runs for four weeks in San Bernardino, California:

The teachers will attend workshops and seminars presented by the Cal State faculty from the College of Education along with teaching practicums. The teachers will present mini-lessons to their group and instructors and visit a San Bernardino elementary school to observe English as a Second Language programs... After watching the ESL program, the teachers will present a lesson plan in English to the Spanish-speaking elementary students.

All of the teachers are employed as EFL teachers in Korean schools.

Obama English Big in Japan

2009-01-21T17:04:00.001Z

The new president's speeches, in English, are a huge hit in Japan. But will the average conversation level move beyond "Hello, how are you, I am fine, thanks"?